Pattern controlled milling machine



Feb. l, 1938. EA G. ROEHM PATTERN CONTROLLED MILLING MACHINE Filed April 14, 1957 6 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Iza 7 llll IIlllllmmll" INVENTOR. fU//y 6 af//M ATTORNEY.

Feb. 1, 1938. E. G. RoEHM PATTERN CONTROLLED MILLING MACHINE Filed April 14, 1957 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 5PM/y 6 af//M ATTORNEY.

Feb. l, 1938. E. G. RoEHM 2,107,063

PATTERN coNTRoLLED MILLING MACHINE Filed April 14, 1937 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENT OR. f5 fQM/f 6 /QafA//v ATTORNEY.

Feb. 1, 1938. E. G, ROEHM 2,107,063

PATTERN CONTROLLED MILLING MACHINE Filed April 14, 1937 6 Sheets-Sheei. 4

44 o g? ff@ Iza 6 ff #y j?? INVENTOR 7.9 7 77742; 7510 fwd/n G afA//v ya@ BY `l\\ J ATTORNEY.

Feb. 1, 1938. E. G. ROEHM 2,107,063

PATTERN CONTROLLED MILLING MACHINE Filed April 14, 1957 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Feb. 1, 1938. E. G. RoEHM 2,107,063

PATTERN CONTROLLED MILLING MACHINE Filed April 14, 1957 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 if I l ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. I, 1938 i.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE 2,107,063 PATTERN coN'moLLED MmLlNG MACHINE Erwin G. Boehm. Norwood, ohio, assignor to The Cincinnati Milling Machine Co., Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation o1' 0hio Application April 14, 1937,' Serial No. 136,844

22 Claims. (Cl. Sli-13.5)

This invention relates to milling machines and `without departing from or exceeding the spirit more particularly to a novel and improved autoof the invention.

matic pattern controlled milling machine. Referring to the drawings in which like ref- It is an object of the presentinvention to vdeerence numerals indicate like or similar parts: vise an automatic pattern controlled milling ma- Figure 1 isl a. iront elevation of a machine tool 5 chine in which the tracer will anticipate or preembodying the principles of this invention. cede the cutter and to accomplish this result p Figure 2 is a side elevation of the machine with a simple and inexpensive control mecha- `Shown in Figure 1 and is viewed from the left nism. side of that gure. :o Another object of this invention is to provide Figure 3 iS a $861210!! 0n the line 3--3 0f Fig- 10 Aan automatic pattern' controlled milling ma.- `ure 1 showing the details of the tracer control chine with a tracer mechanism in which the mechanism. tracer is normally deflected at all times. whether Figure 4 is a detail section onl the line 4-4 of in contact with the pattern or not, so that the Figure 3. necessary anticipation with respect to the cutter Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Flgl5 is always present. ure 3. i

A further object of this invention is to provide Figure 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Figan automatic control mechanism for a pattern ure 5. g controlled milling machine in which the amount Figure 7 is a section through one of the index O of anticipation of the tracer with respect to thel ving mechanisms as viewed on the line 1-1 of 20 cutter will vary in accordance with the :feed Figure 6.`

rate. Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view showing the A still further object of this invention is to resultsefeoted for diierent Positions of the oonprovide a tracer mechanism for an automatic trol end Aoi the tracer. .5 pattern controlled milling machine in which the Figure i9 lis a diagram of the entire hydraulic 25 tracer directly controls the direction of feed. .control circuit for the machine.

An additional object of this invention is vto Figure v10 is a detail View showing the feedprovide a simple, novel mechanism which will back connection from the cross slide. normally maintain an articial deection of the Figure 11"is1a detail view showing the feedtracer at all times and yet maintain a. continuback connections from the table. 30 ous urge of the tracer into contact with the pat- Figure 12 is a' detail section on the line IZI-IZ tern. of Figure 6.

Another object of this invention is to provide Figure; liis a dettlailed view 0f the reversing an artificial deflecting means for the tracer Va Ve ac Ua Dg m80 amsmwhich is unidirectional but which is so con- In conventional manual control profiling ma- 35 structed that the entire mechanism may be auchines there is a rigid tracer which is ilxed some tomatically adjusted throughout an angle of predetermined distance from a cutter spindle and ,360 so that the direction of the unidirectional llalll thereWth,tS0 that it may be manuali? urge may be oriented to any point of the come engagemen with a pattern and there y 7. pass y guide a cutter attached to the cutter spindle An additional object of this invention is to through a path corresponding to the outline of provide in an automatic pattern controlled milla Pattern- When automatic machines fOl thls ing machine a simple and improved cycle selecpurpose Were deVloped the't'rar Was made de' tive mechanism whereby the machine may be ilectable so that 1t might be utilized as a means '17 utilized for either profiling or die-sinking purggagliulllcgnshIatlggg 45 poses.

for umversal movement about an intermediate Othtr oblllectlsdagd adltages of gli presfent point, assumed a normal working position, often mven on s ou rea y appren y ,re er' referred to as a neutral position because at that fn tf th? fonfwmg speclcatmrf consldred time it exercised no control as respects change 50 m munctlon Wlth the acconfp'nymg drawings in the direction of the proling linear feeding forming a part thereof and 1t 1s to be undermgvement stood `that any modications may be made in the Movement, of the tracer from this neutral posiexact structural details there shown and detion, resulting in a change in the angle of deflecscribed, within the scope of the appended claims, tion of the tracer, caused a change in direction 55 of feed whereby automatic control became possible. It thus becomes obvious that .for automatic control, the tracer must be capable of movement in two-directions from its'neutral position in order to effect both clockwise and counterclockwise changes in the direction of the feeding movement. This means that the tracer must be held in some intermediate position and by two diiierent means, one oiwhich, of course, is the pattern. and the other, some form of means tending to urge the tracer into contact with the pattern, which, ot course, must be resilient so that protuberances on the pattern will pomtively move the tracer in one direction, and depressions in the pattern will permit the resilient means to move the tracer in an opposite direction.

In existing automatic machines. when the tracer is out of contact with the pattern. said resilient means will act to straighten the tracer, that is, to move it into co-axial relation with the axis of the tracer head. which means that when the feeding movement starts, the tracer has no anticipation over the -cutterand furtherthe cutter before it overruns the desired outline.

A novel tracer control mechanism ior accom-v plishingthesedesiredresultsisshowninr'lgurel of the drawings and maybe incorporated in a machineotthetypeshowninFlguresl-andzin which ther reference numeral Il indicates the bed of the machine having guide ways ii iormed on one portion thereof for receiving and supporting a table I2 upon which a pattern and work piece may be mounted. A second slide i3 is supported in guide ways Il for movement transversely over the work table i2. 'Ihe slide I4 also has guide ways Il upon which is mounted a vertically movable slide Il which carries the tracer control mechanism.

By means of these three slidesthe cutter i1 andthetracerarm Ilmaybemovedinthree different directions` relative to the pattern and work.

The work table I2 is moved by a piston i9 contained in acylinder 2l, and the' piston is of a diiferential type, being connected at one end by a piston rod 2i to the table i2. Similarly, the slide I3 is actuated by a piston 22 of the diiIerential type which is connected by a piston rod 23 tothebed il, Thepiston niscontainedina cylinder 2l which depends from the underside of the slide I 3, whereby the cylinder actually moves and the pistonl is ilxed.

During proling, the tracer controls the actuation oi' these pistons in the following manner.

The cylinders 2l and 24 are both supplied with operating fluid from a constant displacement pump 2i, as shown in Figure 9, which pump has an intake 20 through which uid is withdrawn from a reservoir 21, and a delivery channel 28, which has branches Il'and 3l leading to one end respectivelyV o! cylinders 2l and 2l. This channelalsohasbranches Il and 32 leadingtopressure ports Il and respectively of control valves II and 3l.A The valve $5 controls the reversible the pump pressure in line Il to drop one-half of.

its pressure, thereby causing the unit pressure lin the left hand end of cylinder 2l to be equal to one-half of the pressure in the other end of the cylinder which is equal to pump pressure, because directly connected by branch- 2! to the main pump supply channel 2l.

Since the piston Il is of the differential area type,ifthetotalareaofthesmallsideisequal to one-half of the total area of the large side, it will be apparent that the total resultant pressures acting on opposite sides of the piston It are equal Y and no movement will result. The action' of the valve plunger Il may be explained in another wayinthatiitheresistaneeofporttonow.

into the annular groove is equal to the resistance of port Il to ilow out of the annular groove the pressure of the fluid in the annular groove will be equal to one-half of theincoming prsure because it is a well-known hydraulic law that i! theresistancetofiowintoachamberisequalto theresistancetoiiowoutofthechamberthat thepressureinthechamberisequaltoone-halt oi the supplying pressure.

It will no w be evident that if the valve plunger I2ismovedtotheright,asviewedinFigure9,

thattherewillbeariseinpressureintheannular` grooveduetodecreaseoftheresistanceot 'portandincreaseintheofportll whereby the total resultant pressureV acting on the left hand end of piston I! will be greater than the total resultant pressure acting on the other end and the piston il will move to the right. l

connected by channel 48 to one end of cylinder 2l. When the valve plunger is in a central position the resistance of port Il to iiow into the annular groove is -equal to the resistance of port to ilow out of the annular groove, whereby the total resultant pressure acting on the large end of piston 22 is equal to the total resultant pressure acting on the small end and no movement ot slide I3 takes place.

The valves 3l andA 36 are supported in the bracket l! which is attached to the vertical slide i6, as shown in Figure 1, and are arranged therein at right angles, as shown by the position of the valve plungers 42 and 44 in Figure 6. These valve plungers have slotted yoke connections arranged at right angles whereby either valve may be moved axially without causing movement of the other. As shown in Figure 3, a divided collar 50 is -attached to the ball-shaped member Il carried by the tracer arm 52. This forms a sort of universal joint whereby the tracer arm may move at an angle relative to the axis of the collar, or in other words, so that the collar may remain perpendicular to the plane of the valve rods 42 and 44. The yoke connections between the valve rods and the collar are carefully made so as to eliminate any lost motionv between the parts.

Referring now to Figure 8, the numeral 53 indicates on the diagram the axis of the tracer head, as well as the axis of the tracer arm when the same is inv a vertical position. If now, the tracer is deilected, the ball portion 5I on the tracer will move radially from the axis 53. Due to its connections with the control valves of the slides I2 and I3 the orientation of the radial path oi.' movement ofthe ball portion 5I relative to the axis 53 will indicate the direction of resultant movement eiiected by the two slides. The tracer arm 52 has a second ball-shaped portion 54 which is confined in the tubular bracket 54', and the center'of this portion forms the center for the universal tilting movement of the tracer arm.,

Since the connection between the tracer arm 52 vand the slide control valves is above this center,

it will be apparent that the tracing end 55 of the tracer will move in an opposite radial direction to the pivotal connection 5I. In other words, if the axis 58, shown in Figuref, is parallel to the direction of movement of slide I3, and the axis 51 parallel to the direction of movement of slide I2 and the tracing end of the tracer 55 is moved radially along the axis 56 toward the south, the control valve 36 will be moved in such a direction as to cause the slide I3 to move south as viewed in Figure 8.

Likewise, if the tracer is deilected north from the axis 53, the slide I3 will move toward the north. The valve 31 is also so connected to the tracer that when the end 55 of the tracer arm is deflected to the east, the slide I2 will move toward the west, and, vice versa, when the tracer is moved toward the west the slide I2 will move toward the east. It will be noted that all of these movements take place in such a direction that the tracer is'always in advance oi' the center 53 and if that center is now considered as the axis of the cutter, then the tracer always reaches a given portion of the pattern slightly in advance of the cutter reaching a certain corresponding portion on the work.V

In order that the tracer may have this anticipation relative to the cutter, there has been provided artiiicial means for deecting .the tracer in a predetermined direction in accordance with the direction of feed. In other words, the tracer is predeflected. 'I'he means for vaccomplishing this predefiection comprises a lever 58,.Figure 3, which is pivotally supported at 59 on the rotatable head 60. The end of the lever 58 has a bevel face 6l which engages the upper end of the tracer arm. The head 80 is supported for rotation on anti-friction bearings 62 and 63 carried by the bracket 49. A slidable rod 64 is mounted for axial movement through the center of the rotatable head and the lower end of this rod engages the upper side of the lever 58. The upper end of this rod is in contact with the lower end of a valve plunger 65. A spring 66 is interposed between a cap 61 fastened to the top of the bracket 49 and the upper end of the valve plunger whereby the spring 56 exerts a down-v ward force on the rod 84, causing rotation oi the lever 58 about its pivot 59 and thereby through.

its beveled end 6I causing deflection ofthe trace arm 52. From this it will be noted -that the direction of deiection o! the tracer when the same is free depends upon the orientation of the lever 58 relative to the axis of rotation 53 of the head 60.

The valve plunger 65 functions to control the direction oi.' rotation of an hydraulic motor 68, which has a driven shaft 69 to which is keyed a slideable clutch member 18. 'Ihis shaft also supports for free rotation a spur gear 1I which is connected through an intermediate idler 12 to a spur gear 13 integral with the rotatable head 68. As shown in the diagram in Figure 9, the control valve 14 for the motor 68 has a pressure port 15 which receives iluid through channel 16 from pump'25. exhaust ports 16 and 11 which areconnected by channel -18 to reservoir.

On opposite sides of the pressure port 15 are a pair of ports 19 and 88 which have channels 8I and 82 connected respectively thereto for alternatelydelivering pressure to the motor 68 to cause opposite directions of rotation thereof. For control purposes, the channel 82 is connected to port 83 of a control valve 84 which has a rotatable plunger4 85 in which is formed an L-shaped passage 86 for connecting port 83 to a second port 81. This last-named port has a channel 88 connected thereto which leads to one side of the pump 68.

The channel 8l is connected to a port 89 of control valve 84 and a second L-shaped passage 90 connects port 89 to port 9I. The port 9i is connected by a channel 92 to the opposite side of motor 68. When the valve plunger 85 of the control valve 84 is in the position shown in Figure 9, then the control valve 14 is capable of controlling reversible operation of the motor 68. In other words, when the valve plunger 65 is in its central position, the spool 93 substantially closes the pressure port 15 so that the pressures This valve also has a pair of v existing in channels 88 and 92 will be equal and no rotation of motor 68 will occur. From this it will be obvious that if the plunger 65 is moved to either side of this central position that uid pressure will be delivered to one of the channels 8I and 82 and the other of these two channels will be connected to the return line 18.

The function oi the hydraulic motor 68 is to rotate the head 60 in order to change the direction of thrust on the upper end of the tracer arm 52 by the lever 58. It will be obvious that in going around a profile, or through any closed path, the head 60 must be rotated through an angle of 360 in order to continuously maintain the tracer vslightly in advance 'of the cutter. Therefore, as the tracer operates to change the direction of feeding movement, it must also operate to change the direction of urge of the lever 58. It will be apparent that when a linear prole is being scanned that no rotation should occur in the motor 68 and therefore the valve plunger 65 should be held in a central position. It should, however, be capable oi' movement to either side of this position in order to cause reversible rotation of the motor. It is believed that the operation of the parts will be better understood by describing the manner in which automatic contact between the tracer and pattern is established for profiling operations and the subsequent changes effected after the contact has been established. As previously described, the motor 68 is connected to the spur gear 1I by the slideable clutch member 10 which is controlled by the manually operable'lever $4 mounted on the front of the machine as shown in Figure 1. Ii.' this clutch is now disengaged. no rotation of the tracer head will occur, regardless of the position of the control valve I5. The operator, however, can manually position the head Il in order to cause deiiection of the tracer in any desired vertical planeand since the plane of 'deflection of the tracer determines the direction in which the feed will take place it will be apparent that the operator can set the machine to determine the direction in which the tracer will move into contact with the pattern. To this end, the spur gear li, shown in Figure 3, has integrally formed therewith a bevel gear I5 which intermeshes with va bevel gear 96 secured to a shaft l1, to the end of which is attached the manually operable hand wheel Il as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings.

Having rotated the head so as to deflect the tracer arm 52 in the desired plane and with the tracing end l slightly in advance of the cutter,

the pump 2l is started, which will cause a r'ela-4 tive approaching movement between the patternL Vteeth, lli formed on their periphery and interengaging with rack teeth in formed on a longitudinally movable rack bar Ill, 'Ihis rack bar has another set of rack teeth IM formed thereon which are engaged by a pinion IIS secured to shaft lli. This shaft projects to the front of the bracket Il and is there provided with a manually operable lever III. By rotating this lever the members $9 and ill maybe caused to approach or recede from one another. Conicallyshaped recesses Ill are formed in the abuttingfaces of the members ll and III but co-axial therewith.

A ball-shaped portion I l! formed on the tracer 52 is located between these conical-shaped depressions for the purpo of limiting the amount f of tracer deflection. In other words, the tracer is predeiiected before it contacts the pattern and iiection, and therefore, it cannot be given addi.- tional deiiection by the pattern. In its predeiiected state it resembles a wabble-disk which has its true axis inclined to its axis of rotation. When the tracer contacts the pattern while in a predeected condition, it is caused to rotate about a vertical axis which is co-axial with the axis of the tracer head 8l and which passes through the center of the ball-shaped portion 5l.

In other words, the amount of deflection of the tracer remains the same but the ball-shaped portion IIS willtravel a circuitous path, the radius of which is deiined by the amount of separation of the conical-shaped depressions 99 and i".

In spite of this circuitous movement,.the upper end III of the tracer arm will nevertheless move closer to the pivot Il. This approaching movement will cause the lever 58 to move upward and thereby cause upward movement of the valve plunger $5. Ihe intermediate rod 6I is made of such length that when the tracer is out of contact with the pattern the valve plunger 65 is below its Icenter position which will thereby cause rotation of the motor 6I and connected tracer head 6l, but as the tracer swings about its wabble axisinthemannerinstdescribed,thevalve plunger Il will be moved upward, thereby gradually closing the pressure supply port and slowing down the rate of rotation of the motor.

Another effect simultaneously produced by the tracer as it swings about its wabble axis is to change the direction of the feeding movement due to the direct connection of the tracer arm with the slide control valves Il and 36. When the tracer is predeiiected, it will normally cause continuous rotation of the tracer head, and simultaneously, a continuous change in the direction of feed. It is desirable, however, that the direction of feed remain constant in order to accomplish engagement of the tracer with the pattern, and to this end, the clutch 'il was provided so that the motor Il may be disconnected from the tracer head during the approaching movement of the tracer toward the pattern. At the moment oi' contact between the tracer and pattern, the operator manually throws the clutch 10 into engagement with the spur gear Ii where- `by the head 6l will begin to rotate.

Since the pivot i! is'integral with' the head 6l it will move therewith. and thereby change the orientation of the lever ll relative to the north and south axes it and l1 which are shown in Figure 8. In addition, the line III will also move, since it is at all times parallel to the axisIS. If it is that the edge of the pattern runs parallel to the east-west axis 51 and that the direction of feed is toward the `westthenthetracerwillrotateinaclockwise direction until the end lil of the tracer lies on the intersection of the imaginary line Iii and the east-west axis 51. It will be apparent that when this occurs, that the direction of feed is toward the west because the plane of the tracer lies in the plane of the axis l1 and also that no rotation of the tracer head will occur to change this direction because the endl of the tracer -now lies on the imaginary lineiii which indicates the neutral position of the tracer valve 65.

With the parts in this position. as just described, it is important to note that the lever' 58 does not lie parallel to the east-west axis 51, but at an angle thereto, which means that it is exert- 'ing a force on the upper end of the tracer of such a nature as to cause the tracer to swing in a counterclockwise direction, but this movement is prevented by the pattern, and it is, therefore, this urgeithat maintains the tracer in contact with the pattern and serves as the resilient force which will cause the tracer to enter depressionsln the profile of the pattern while the protuberances on the pattern act as positive means to swing the tracer in a counterclockwise direction. Thus, automatic control is obtained and at the same time a certain amount of anticipation over the cutter is always present.

It will be noted' that when the rate control elements 99 and lli) have their greatest separation that the tracer has its greatest amount of predeflection and at this. time the feed rate is the greatest. Therefore, the amount of predeiiection varies in accordance with variations in the feed rate.

Disengagement of the tracer and cutter from the pattern and work respectively is effected by disengaging the clutch 'Il and rotating the hand,

up and down under control of the tracer |8 in contact with the pattern. At the end of a given stroke of the table the cross slide I3 may be indexed some predetermined amount in accordance with the nature of the work and the nish desired.

The vertical slide I6 is moved by'a piston ||3 contained in a cylinder ||4. The piston ||3 is connected by a piston rod I I5 to the slide I6 and the cylinder I I4 is connected to the cross slide I3. 'I'he lower end of the cylinder is connected by a channel I6 to the main pressure line 28 and the upper end of the cylinder is connected by a'channel ||1 to port ||8 of a control valve IIS. It will be noted that the piston ||3 is of the differential type and that the small end of the piston is subjected to the full pump pressure in channel 28, and the upper end of the piston is connected to the valve I I9 whereby the control plunger |20 may reduce the pressure in the same manner as the previous slide control valves. In other words, the valve IIS has a port |2|, which is connected`by branch line |22 to the main supply channel 28 and a second port |23 which is connected by branch line |24 to reservoir. The annular groove |25 formed in the valve plunger |20 is of such length that it will partially close ports |2| and |23 an equal amount so as to create a drop in pressure in accordance with the direction of ow, whereby the pressure in groove |25 will be equal to onehalf of the pump pressure when the plunger 20 is in its central position.

'I'he valve plunger |20, Figure 5, is connected by a bell crank |26 to the tracer arm 52. This bell crank ispivoted at |21 and has a ball-ended lever |28 which interts in a slot formed in the end of plunger |20. The other arm |29 of the bell crank ts into an annular groove |30 formed on the tracer arm 52. 'I'he plunger |20 has a notch |3I formed in the side thereof into which fits a pivoted stop lever |32 which holds the bell crank and valve plunger |20 in a central position. When the stop is withdrawn by pulling the lever |32', a spring |33 acting on plunger |20 axially shifts the same and causes a certain amount of downward movement of the tracer arm 52. 'I'he result is a change in the resistance at port |2| which causes an increase in the pressure in the upper end of cylinder ||4 and downward movement of the slide IB.

Since the upward and downward movement of the tracer 52 is now utilized to control the vertical movement of the slide I6, the control valve 14 for the hydraulic motor 68 is disconnected from the motor by rotating the plunger of valve 84 through an angle of and in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 9. This results in the motor port 9| of the valve being connected by the groove 80 to port |34, and theother motor port 81 being connected to port |35.' These ports are connected by channels |36 and |31 to the reversing valve |38. Rotation of the hydraulic motor 68 is now under direct control of'the reversing valve |38 which has a pressure port |39 and an exhaust port |40. A pair of grooves |4| and |42, formed in the plunger |43v of this valve, serve to alternately interconnect the motor lines with the pressure and reservoir lines to cause reversible operation of motor 68.

'Ihe reversing valve |38 only has two positions which means that pressure is connected at all tim-es to either channel |36 or |31 during a diesinking operation and in order to prevent continuous rotation of the motor 68 and still have the same available for reversing the direction of feeding movement, an hydraulically actuated stop l|44 has been provided, the details of which are more particularly shown in Figure 4. 'Ihe tracer head 60 has integrally secured thereto a member |45 upon which is formed a pair of Ashoulders |48 and |41. When the plunger |44 is projected into the path of these shoulders it will be apparent that the head 60 can only be rotated through an angle of 'I'his is suiiicient, however, to move the tracer about its wabble axis through this same angle and thereby reverse the direction of feed by shifting the control valve 42. In other words, at the end of each stroke of the table, the reversing valve is'actuated throughan angle of 90, thereby reversing the pressure on opposite ends of motor 68 and causing the same to rotate the tracer head through an angle of 180 which is sufficient to change the direction of hydraulic actuation of the slide I2. Actuation of the reversing valve is effected by a dog operated plunger |48 which is positioned adjacent slide I2 and provided with a pressure port |49 connected to the supply line 28, and a second port |50 which is connected by channel |5| to a cylinder |52 in which is slideably mounted a piston |53 which actuates the reversing valve plunger |43. A spring return ratchet mechanism, as shown in Figure 13, is utilized to interconnect the piston |53 for unidirectional rotation ot the reversing valve plunger, the ratchet means 2|6 being so set that upon hydraulic actuation of the piston |53, the rack 2I1 will rotate pinion 2|8 and the valve will be rotated, and upon release of the pressure in the cylinder |52, the spring 2|9 will return the parts to their starting position. If desired, a detent wheel 220 may be secured to the shaft 22|, and a spring pressed detent lever 222 provided for insuring accurate positioning of the valve and preventing return movement during return of the rack.

When the trip dog passes out of engagement with the trip plunger |48, the latter is returned by a spring |54 which disconnects channel |5| from the main pressure line 28. In order to permit theureversing valve actuating plunger |53 to return to its starting position, a bleeder coil |55 connects channel I5| to reservoir whereby the fluid trapped in these lines will slowly drain to reservoir and permit the spring attached to the ratchet mechanism to return plunger |53.

In die-sinking operations it is desirable that at. the end oi' a given cutting stroke that a relative indexing movement be eiected between the cutter and work so that new material will be removed on the return cutting stroke. It will be apparent that if the cutting stroke is being effected by moving the slide I2, then the indexing stroke will be effected by moving the cross slide I3, or vice versa, and, if the cutting stroke is being eiected by movement of the slide I3, then the indexing stroke will be eiected by moving the slide I2. Duplicate mechanisms are, therefore, provided for indexing each of these slides and since the mechanisms are the same only one will be described.

Reierring to Figures 1 and 7, a feed wheel |56 is rotatably mounted on a bracket |51 carried by the housing 48, and the periphery of this wheel is serrated for engagement by a feed pawl |58 pivotally connected to a swinging arm |59. This swinmng arm is operatively connected to hydraulically actuated piston |60 slideably mounted in a cylinder |6I, which has one end connected to the line |5I. 'I'herefore ,when the trip plunger |48 is depressed by' a dog, and pressure is admitted to channel |5I, the piston |60 The feed Wheel l is'eonnecfed by a pin |33" and plate |3| to ashaft|32 upon which is keyed a pinion |33. This pinion meshes with a planet .gear |34 which has integral therewith a second V pinion |33. This second pinion meshes with a spur gear |33 integral with a shaft |31, whichhas keyed toits end aspur gear |33. This gear rotates the gear |33 which is keyed to shaft |13. 'I'he shaft |13 has a sliding splinefit in a nut member |1I. 'Ihe nut member interenmes the threaded end |12 of shaft |13. The nut member |1| has a shoulder |14, against which abuts one end of a bell crank lever |13, as more particularly shown in Figure 6. v

.The other end of this bell crank lever has a forked end which embraces a pin |13 integral with the plunger 44 of the control valve 33. When -the shaft |13 is-rotated by action of the feed pawl on the feed wheel, the nut member I1I is caused to rotate relative to the screw |12, and since the screw is fixed for the moment, the nut member |1| will travel toward the gear |33.

Since the shoulder |14 is abutting the end of the bell crank |13, this will cause rotation of the bell crank in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure v6, and thereby move the plunger 44 of the control valve 33. 'Iliis will cause actuation of the slide connected thereto. A rack bar I 11, F'igure 10, is attached to the movable slide for movement therewith and a pinion |13 interengages this rack bar for rotation thereby in such a direction that it will rotate the screw |12 in a direction to cause the nut member I1I to return to its former position and thereby reposition the valve plunger 44 in a stop position. It will be apparent that this is a form of servocontrol mechanism.

During a continuous feeding movement of the slide, it will be obvious that a continuous relauve mvemellt between the Slew Bild nut 68131103 take place and therefore a lost motion connection has been provided comprising a collar |13 which is keyed to shaft |13 and which is provided with a pairof arms |33 and III, which embrace a lug |32 integral with the nut member |14. The ends of the arms |33 and |3| support a pair of spring pressed plungers |33 which have a limited amount of axial movement whereby the servo-action may be effected, but upon continuous movement of the shaft |13, the nut |14 and connected mechanism will be rotated in unison.

Although the servofcontrol mechanism just described is the same for both slides, the specic manner of making the feed-back connections for the two slides is illustrated in Figures 10 and 11. In Figure l0, a shaft |34 supports the pinion |13 in operative engagement with the rack |11, which rack is carried by the bed I3. The shaft |34 is connected by bevel gearing |33, shaft |33 and bevel gearing |31 to a vertical spline shaft |33 which is journaled in the vertical movable carrier I3. The spline shaft |33 is connected by bevel gearing |33 to a horizontally extending shaft |33, which shaft is connected by spur gearing |3| toshaft |13, shown in Figure 7. This completes the feed-back connection for the horizontally movable slide I3. i

In Figure 11 is shown the feed-back connections from the table, and, as shown in Figure 2, thetable I2 carries asimilar rack bar |11 which Upon release of pres- Aticularly shown in Figure 12, so that by is engaged by a pinion |13 secured to the lower end of a vertical shaft |32. This shaft is connected by bevel gearing |33, which are supported by a bracket |34 fixed with the bed I3. to ahorizontal spline shaft |33. This spline shaft is journaled for axial movement with the cross slide I3 and is movable relative to the bevel lgearing |33. One end of shaft |33 is connected by bevel gearing |33 to a vertical spline shaft |31 which is supportedffor movement with the vertical slide I3. The lower end of this shaft is connected by bevel gearing |33 to a horizontal shaft |33, which shaft, as shown in F'igure 3, is connected by bevel gearing 233 to the nut member 23|, which corresponds to the nut member |12 of the construction shown in Figure -1. 'I'his completes the feed-back connection to the table control valve plunger 42. Y n

When the 'machine is being utilized for other than die-sinking purposes the bell crank |15 may be withdrawn from vengagement with the pin |16 so as to permit free actuation of the control valve plunger 44, or 42, as the case may be, by the tracer and to this end the'bell crank|15 may be supported on an eccentric pin 232, as more pareans of a. crank arm 233 secured to the lower e d of this pin it may be rotated in a direction to withdraw the bifurcated end of the bell crank out of engagement with the pin 13. For conven.- ience of operation, a control lever 234 may be pivotally connected to the end of the crank arm` 233 and projected through the outer wall of the machine so that it may be provided with a control knob 235.

'I'he cutter I1 is supported in a spindle 233 which, as shown in Flgure 2, is journaled injthe g the'main shaft 233 of a variable speed gear box 2I3. This box consists of a plurality of shiftable gears whereby the output shaft 2I| may be driven at a selective series of rates. The shaft 2|| terminates in bevel gearing 2|2 by which it is connected to a vertical spline shaft 2I3 carried by the slide I3. The shaft 2|3 may be selectively| connected in two different ratios to the spindle 233 as by means of the multiple belt high speed drive 2|4, or the low speed spur gear drive 2li. Since this drive mechanism does not constitute any part of the present invention it will not be described in detail'.v

' From the foregoing it will be apparent that the machine may be selectively set up in either one of two ways depending, of course, upon the nature of the` pattern, and whether it is to bereproduced by profiling or by die-sinking methods, or by a combination of`both. AThe machine is set up for profiling DUI'DOSes by locking the control valve plunger |23 by means of the stop lever |32, which is operated by the manual control |32', located on the front of the machine, and the control valve 34 is positioned,.as shown in Figure 9, to connect valve 14 for control of the rotary motor 33. When the pattern and work have been secured to the table of the machine, the operator rotates the hand wheel 33 to set the direction of feed,l so that the tracer and cutter will approach the edge of the pattern and work. 'lhe feed rate conti-ol lever |31 is then moved to the desired feed rate, whereupon the tracer immediately becomes predeilected and the proper relative movement between the slides follows to Cause engagement of the pattern with the work.

When 4this occurs, the operator throws the clutch 'lll to thereby operatively connect the rotary motor 68 withthe tracer head whereby the'same /will be automatically rotated to change the di- 5 rection of feed in a line substantially parallel with the contour of the pattern.

During the profiling operation overdeection or underdeflection of the tracer will automatically change the direction of feed in the manner previously explained. After the profiling operation has been completed, the operator disconnects the clutch 12 and rotates the hand wheel 98 in a direction to point the direction of feed away from the pattern so that the tracer and cutter l5 will be separated from the pattern and work.

For die-sinking operations the stop levery |32 is disconnected from the control valve plunger and the selector valve 84 is rotated clockwise, as viewed in Figure 9, so as to connect ports |34 20 and |35 with the rotary hydraulic motor 88. Assuming the tracer and cutter to be over the work, the release of valve |20 will cause a downward feeding movement until the tracer contacts the pattern. This downward feeding movement will stop when the tracer, by contact with the pattern, rotates the bell crank |26 and shifts the valve rod |20 into a position to equalize the total pressures in the opposite ends of cylinder H4. Feeding movement will then take place in ac- 30 cordance with the rotary setting of the tracer head which will remain constant, since the rotary motor G8 will not be rotated. The direction of feed will therefore be in a fixed vertical plane and the tracer and cutter will move up and down 5 in that plane dependent upon the contour of the pattern. At the end of. a given stroke across the work, the reversing valve |43 will be actuated either manually or automatically which will cause the rotary motor to rotate through an angle of 180, since its rotation is limited yby the mechanism shown in Figure 4. 'Ihis will reverse the direction of feed so that a second scanning operation will be performed. By lifting up on the tracer at any time, the tracer and 4.'. cutter may be withdrawn, from contact with the pattern and work.

In accordance with the foregoing, there has been provided an improved automatic tracer controlled milling machine which may be selectively 5: utilized for profiling or die-sinking purposes.

What is claimed is:

1. In a tracer mechanism for automatically controlling power movement between a tool and work piece, a tracer arm supported for universal movement about a point and relative to a fixed axis passing through said point, rate and direction control mechanism for governing said power movement having motion transmitting connections with said tracer arm whereby movement of (if) the tracer arm into or out of coincidence with said axis will stop or start said power movement respectively, means for predeiiecting the tracer arm to cause power feeding of. the cutter into engagement with the work, the orientation of C3 the plane deternined by the tracer and said axis dictating the direction of said feeding movement, and means operable by the pattern for moving said tracer arm around said axis for varying the direction of said feeding movement in accordii ance with contour changes in the pattern.

2L In a. tracer mechanism, the combination witha tracer arm supported for universal deflection with respect to a xed axis, of means for determining the plane of tracer deflection, means 7.3 to deflect the tracer in said plane, power operable the feed rate correspondingly, and adjustable means' for determining the angle of said -deilection.

3. A tracer mechanism for a pattern controlled machine tool having power operable means for 10 effectingv relative movement betweena cutter and a work piece. comprising .a wabble tracer having an axis of rotation inclined to its wabble axis, means for maintaining the wabble axis non-coincident with the axis of rotation, and 15 means operable by a pattern for moving the tracer about its axis of rotation, while maintaining its angle of inclination thereto, for changing the direction of relative feeding movement between the cutter and work. 20

4. In a tracer controlled mechanism, the combination with power operable means for e'ecting a relative feeding movement between a cutter and work piece, and between a tracer and pattern, of a tracer arm having a neutral axis, 25 means for defiecting the tracer arm with respect to said axis before it contacts the pattern, means responsive to deiiection of the tracer to cause said power operable means to effect a feeding movement vin a direction parallel to the piane 80 determined by the deflected tracer and its neutral a'xis, and means /responsive to rotation of the tracer by the pattern about its neutral axis for changing the direction of feeding movement.

5.A In a pattern controlled machine tool having $5 a cutter spindle and a tracer arm, the combination of means to support the parts in parallel relation, means for predeflecting the tracer into a non-parallel relation with respect to the cutter axis, whereby the pattern end of the tracer will n contact a given point on the pattern before the cutter engages a corresponding point on the work, and means responsive to rotation of the deected tracer by the pattern to vary the dlrection of feeding movement.

'6. In a pattern controlled machine tool, a tracer head construction comprising a tracer arm supported for universal movement with respect to the tracer head, and resilient means in the tracer head for predeflecting the tracer arm beo vfore it contacts a pattern.

7. In a pattern controlled machine tool, theV combination of a tracerv head, a tracer arm supported therein and having an axis of rotation and an axis of deflection, means coupled to the tracer for controlling the feeding movement between a cutter and work piece, means to coaxialize said axes to stop the feeding movement, means to impart a variable angleof deflection to one of said axes relative to the other to cause 00 variable rates of feeding movement, said deflecting means having a unidirectional thrust, power operable means for changing the orientation of the direction of thrust in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction and motion transmitting a5 means operable by the tracer for controlling operation of said power operable means.

8. In a tracer mechanism for a pattern controlled machine tool, the combination of a tracerA head having a defiectable tracer arm supported therein for movement into and out of coincidence With the axis of said head and in a circular path about said axis, motion transmitting means coupling the tracer for control of the feeding movement between a. cutter and-work piece, the 1| yis orientation of the radial plane determined by the axes oi the tracer and tracer head determining-the direction of said feeding movement, means determining a secantial plane intersecting said circular path whereby when the tracer is at one side oi said plane it will cause counterclockwise rotation of the tracer headand on the other side of said plane will cause clockwise rotation of the tracer head, and means eii'ective when the axis of the tracer and said radial and secantial planes intersect in the same point for stopping said rotary movement and causing a linear feeding movement between the cutter and work.

9. In a tracer controlled mechanism, a tracer having a predetermined amount oi deilection relative to an axis of revolution which intersects the axis of the tracer, means predetermining a neutral plane in spaced parallel relation to said axis of revolution, said means also acting to cause rotation of the tracer into engagement with the pattern whereby protuberances on the pattern will cause counterwise rotation of the tracer, and means responsive to the orientation oi the plane of the tracer and the axis oi revolution for determining the direction of relative feeding movement between a cutter and a work axes lying parallel to the axes ot the slides which.

they control, a'tracer arm supported by one of said slides with its axes passing through the point of intersection oi' the axes oi said valves, and means interwupling the tracer to said valves whereby the plane of deflection oi the'tracer will determine the phne oi' resultant movement between the tracer and the other slide.

12. In a pattern Ycontrolled machine tool, the combination with a pair of slides supported for movement in right angular relation, means for moving said slides including a piston and cylinder for each slide, one member of which is connected to the slide and the other to the support, individual valves for controlling the direction of resultant pressure in said cylinders and supported in parallel relation to the respective cylinders which they control, and a tracer supported at the intersection of the axes of said valves and operatively coupled thereto for controlling individual or simultaneous actuation thereof in accordance with the plane of deflection of the tracer.

13. In a pattern controlled machine tool having a tracer support and a pattern support, the combination oi means for automatically controlling the direction of relative feeding movement between said supports including a pivotally supported tracer, artificial means for deflecting the tracer whereby the tracer point will move in a radial direction with respect to its undeected axis, and means responsive to deflection of the tracer to cause a feeding movement in the opposite 'radial direction to that in which the tracer was deilected.

14. In a device of the class described, a pivotally-supported tracer having an axis of deilection and an axis of rotation which intersect in the pivotal support for the tracer, reslliently operable means acting on one end o! the tracer to cause predeilection thereof in a direction-at an acute angle to the direction of feed whereby the return will tend to cause rotation oi the tracer about its axis ci' rotatiai, and means deriving a motion component from said resiliently operable means, tending to resist said rotation and cause a continuous urge d the tracer into engagement with the pattern.

l5, In a mechanism of the class described, the combination oi a tracer pivotally supported for universal deiiection. resiliently operable means having a directional component tor causing deilection of the tracer in one direction, power operable means for causing rotation and thereby a change in the angle of said component to change the plane of deflection of the tracer, and a valve responsive to external actuation o! the tracer in a manner to change the angle of its planeoi' deilection including a control valve and a fluid operable motor Vgoverned thereby for cans ing said rotation.

16. In a pattern controlled machine tool havingabedandapairoislidesmountedon said bed, of individual piston and cylinder motors for actuating each slide, one part oi each motor being connected to the moving slide and the other to the support, a pump having its delivery port directly connected to one end of each cylinder,

a pair of control valves connecting the delivery port ofsaid pumpinparalleltotheotherend of the respective cylinders, each oi said' valves having a reservoir connection, and means coupling said valves to a tracer for automatic control of theV direction oi relative movement between the slides. Y

17. In a pattern controlled machine tool having a work supporting slide and a cutter supporting slide, oi.' a tracer supported. by one of said slides for engagement with a pattern carried by the other slide, of power operable means for causing relative movement between the slides, means for predeilecting the tracer, and means responsive to predeiiection of the tracer for causing relative movement between the supports, and means responsive to the direction of the deilected movement of the tracer i'or determining the direction of said relative movement.

18. In a pattern controlled machine tool having a work support and a cutter support, the combination of means for automatically controlling relative movement between the supports in accordance with the outline of a pattern carried byoneoisaidsupports,otatracersupportedby the other of said supports, a rotary. tracer head having means thereon for causing deflection of the tracer, a motor for rotating said tracer head, means responsive to deilection of the tracer when out of contact with; the pattern for causing actuation of said motor. and means to disconnect the motor from said tracer head whereby the tracer may be movedvinto engagement with the pattern without causing rotation of the head.

19. In a pattern controlled machine tool having a pair of relatively movable slides, the combination of power operable means for effecting said movement, a. tracer for controlling energize.- tion of said power operable means including a pair of control valves arranged in right angular relationship and operatively connected to the tracer whereby Ythe plane of deilection of the aromas to maintain an urge component perpendicular to the surface of the pattern to maintain the tracer automatically into engagement with the pattern.

20. In a pattern controlled die-sinking machine having a work support and a tool support, one of which is movable toward and from the other, the combination of a tracer carried by one of said supports, power operable means for eil'ecting a relative feeding movement between the supports, control means therefor having operative connections with the tracer whereby deection oi the tracer in a given plane will determine the direction of feeding movement, a valve responsive to axial movement of the tracer for controlling axial movement of the cutter, and means responsive to over-deection of the tracer relative to a plane perpendicular to the direction of feed to actuate a holding means to prevent movement o1' the tracer in an axial direction when end pressure thereon is removed.

21. In a. tracer mechanism for die-sinking purposes, the combination of a tracer, a support therefor, means to impart an axial urge on the tracer toward the pattern, means to support the tracer for deflection toward and from a plane perpendicular to the direction of feed, and means responsive to over-deflection of the tracer relative to said plane to prevent return axial movement of the tracer until the over-deflected con# dition is removed.

22. In a die-sinking machine, the combination of a work support, and a cutter support, means to support a tracer on the last-named support' in perpendicular relation to the work support. re-

' siliently operable means for urging the tracer toward the work support, said means also acting to predeect the tracer, said tracer being supported for rotation about a perpendicularaxia while in a deflected condition, by an abrupt change in the contour of the pattern. resulting in an upward movement of the tracer, and means for holding the tracer in its axial position relative to its support during said upward movement and until the tracer has been reversely rotated to a normal operating condition.

ERWIN-G. ROEHM. 

